A man was sentenced for murder and robbery with a firearm in Central Florida, killing the victim for less than a hundred dollars.
Jurors recently delivered their verdict in the 2024 murder case of 51-year-old Raied Shihadeh. After nearly three hours of deliberation, jurors found 26-year-old Alex Lopez guilty of First-Degree Murder and Robbery with a Firearm. Judge Brian Welke sentenced Lopez to Life in prison without the possibility of parole.
“Less than a hundred dollars is what this ruthless, wanna be thug valued over the victim’s life,” said Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bill Gladson. “While this verdict, nor ANY amount of money, can’t bring the victim back, we hope his family finds comfort in knowing this killer won’t walk free again.”
On May 30, 2024, officers with the Leesburg Police Department responded to the M & M Food Mart convenience store located off Picciola Road in Leesburg, Florida in Lake County. Law enforcement was advised of a robbery with a possible gunshot victim. When officials entered the store, they located Shihadeh lying on the ground behind the front counter. He had a gunshot wound to the abdomen and head. Emergency medical personnel transported the victim by helicopter to the hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Officers spoke with a witness on scene who advised she had just entered the store and heard screaming coming from what sounded like a cell phone. When she looked behind the counter, she saw the victim and the phone. Detectives were able to determine that the victim was on a FaceTime call with his wife at the time of the incident.
Surveillance footage was collected from the business, where it showed a face-covered male entering the store brandishing a firearm before shooting the victim. The unknown, masked male then proceeded to take money from the register and a vape product before fleeing. During their investigation, officials disseminated photos of the suspect in a public bulletin asking for information identifying the shooter.
A couple of days later, detectives received multiple tips identifying the shooter as Lopez, the defendant. Authorities attempted to make contact with Lopez with negative results, and an arrest warrant was issued. On June 26, 2024, law enforcement arrested the defendant at the Sunshine Inn motel in Kissimmee.
This Central Florida case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Ken Nunnelley and Rachel Jones.
The State Attorney’s office offered thanks to law enforcement personnel for their diligent efforts in investigating this case, as well as the public’s assistance in identifying and reporting the defendant.
